Process for improving the physical properties of metals and their alloys.



certain of the physical UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DAVID LAMON, OF" DENVER, IGO'LORADO.

PROCESS FOR IMPROVING THE PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF METALS .AND T-HEI-R ALLOYS;

Specification'of Letters Patent.

Patented June so, 1908.

To all whomqlt may concern:

Be it known that I, DAVID LAMON, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at 2449 Hale street, in the city and county of Denver and State of Colorado, (post-office address 807 and SOS-Continental Building, Denver, Colorado,-), have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Processes for Improvin the Physical Pro erties of Metals and Their- Alloys; and I 0 hereby declare the followin to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such 'as will enable others skilled in the art to. which it a pertains to make and use the same.

he sco e of usefulness of many of the metals an alloys is limited by reason of the fact that in their natural state'they are not com letely ada ted to the conditions under Whic it wouh be desirable to use them- For example, it is recognized that increased hardness inthe softer metals, such as gold, silver, copper andiron would Widen the scope of their usefulness, providing none of their present valuable pro erties, such as conductivity, were substantlally deteriorated.

My invention is aproces s for improving roperties of the metals and their alloys Wit out deteriorating any of the valuable properties which they may already possess.

In detail myprocess is as follows:. The metal or alloyin any of its manufactured forms is heated to a suitable temperature and irnmediately subjected-to the action of aproperly proportioned mixture of the followmg substances, to-witfz. boric acid and adouble sulfate of aluminum, or in place of these I use a borate and a single sulfate of aluminum, the lattersubstance being in the class of compounds .to which the general name of alumsis applied. A suflicient quantity of the-mixture is used to thoroughly cover the surface of themetal. The metal oralloy thus heated is maintained at a suitable temperature for a suflicient length of time, after which it is passed through a watersolution of two or. more of the substances inentioned above,, together with av salt of copper such ,asthe, sulfate. After this the metal or allo :is cleanedand allowed to--cool- .gradually.- -he..-prop,ortions of the chemical agents em loyed are usually as .fol-

lows: two parts 0 the double sulfate of aluminum to one art of boric acid. The temperature to whlch the metals treated is raised .may vary, but in the case of copper it .is about-900 F., and of brass about 1200 For the urpose of carrying out the foregoing detai s, any, suitable form of furnace may be used providing for continuous or inetermittent o eration, but it is preferable that the source 0 heat be an impinging non-luminous flame,

i The aforesaid mixture of boric acid (or borate) and a single (or double) sulfate of .aluminum may be used u on metals, especially copper and copper al oys while 1n process of manufacturing into Wire and other articles, with gratifying results, namely,

the roduct bein hardened or strengthened,

e ree, Without the admixto t e re uired g ture of a 0y or without adding any alloy.

Care, however, must be taken to apply the said mixture in suitable quantities, and at the proper heat or temperature of the metal. The passa e of the treated metal through the solution above mentioned has not the importance of the other steps of the process.

I claim 1...; The process of improving the physical properties of-metals and their alloys whlch consists in subjecting them While hotto the action of boric acid and a sulfate of aluminum maintaining the metals thus treated, at

'ecting metals while hot to the action of oric acid and a sulfate of aluminumand maintaining them at a raised tem erature While beingthus treated, as describe In testimony whereof I have affixed my EMMA HORNBURG, .B'ERTHA JACOBS,

Ja. THOMAS. 

